Emerald Eyes
by IceWarrior13
Summary: Jaune Arc would never fully get over the loss of his fallen teammate, his partner, his best friend. But, fate takes its toll when, while visiting with the family of Pyrrha Nikos, Team JN(P)R discovers a secret that Pyrrha took to her grave. What will come of this discovery? What will Jaune do about the vengeful young warrior with emerald-green eyes?
1. Prologue

Jaune Arc looked down, tearing up as he stared at the golden circlet resting in his hands.

It was all that was left...

Pyrrha Nikos was dead.

The four-time Mistral Champion.

The perfect Huntress.

The most selfless person on Remnant.

So insecure, yet so strong.

His partner.

The only one Jaune ever fully confided in.

The only one who he ever felt believed in him.

The only one who'd ever love him...

 ** _"I'm sorry."_**

Pyrrha Nikos was dead.

Jaune was giving his all, trying to keep from sobbing.

Then...

"Who's going to tell her family?" A voice asked. Jaune looked up to see Ren and Nora talking. It had been Nora, voice softer and sadder than Jaune had ever heard, who spoke.

"We should all go." Ren replied. "I would like to pay respect to her parents... Jaune?" A slight jolt went through Jaune's body at this sudden attention, and he looked at his teammate. "We would like to go and see Pyrrha's family. They need to know what's happened... Will you come with us?"

Jaune gazed at Ren and Nora for a moment, then looked at the circlet in his hands.

At last, he looked up again.

"Yeah. I'm Team Leader, and I was the last one to see Pyrrha alive... I should be there."

 _ **/\/\/\/\**_

Around a week later, Team JN(P)R stood before a large house in Mistral.

The house was made of red brick, surrounded by a large yard and a golden fence.

A large hedge-row separated the front-yard from the back-yard, hiding the back-yard.

Jaune pushed the gate open, the three teens walking up a stone path to the large, white-granite porch.

As they arrived on the porch, Ren raised a hand and used the golden door-knocker, knocking four times.

The door finally opened, revealing a middle-aged woman with curly red hair and brown eyes wearing a yellow dress, so obviously Pyrrha's mother.

"Hello!" The woman waved, smiling brightly. "What brings you to Nikos Manor?"

"Mrs. Nikos, is your family home?" Ren asked. The woman nodded, unaware of the terrible news she was about to receive, still smiling.

"Indeed, except for Pyrrha. She's over in Vale. I bet our girl did just wonderful in that battle. It's no wonder the enemy fled for their lives. Come on in!" The woman vanished into the house, Team JN(P)R following. "Perseus! I believe these two nice young men and this lovely young lady need some Nikos' hospitality!" A man entered the entrance room.

"The kind where _I_ ** _kill_** _them_ or the kind where _I_ _ **feed**_ _them_ , Helen?"

The man was HUGE, muscled and wearing a red business suit with a yellow tie. He had red hair and green eyes, along with a red stubble-beard.

"They're children." Mrs. Nikos rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "What do you think?"

"Alright... Did you ask their names before you invited them in?"

"My name is Jaune Arc." Jaune spoke up, and the Nikos' eyes widened. "Leader of Team JNPR."

"My name is Lie Ren."

"I'm Nora Valkyrie."

"Wait..." Mr. Nikos frowned. "You're Pyrrha's teammates? What are you doing here? Where is our daughter?"

Jaune's hands shook as he held out the golden circlet.

"P-Pyrrha Nikos was killed in the Battle of Beacon, in a fight against Cinder Fall." The boy looked down, tears coming to his eyes. "It's only because of her sacrifice that we were able to win."

The Nikos' stared at the circlet in horror, Mrs. Nikos taking it in shaky hands before falling to her knees, sobbing. Mr. Nikos kneeled next to her, hugging his wife tightly.

Nora broke down again, hugging Ren and crying. Ren finally let one tear fall, but Jaune fought to remain strong.

"S-she was b-brave?" Mrs. Nikos looked up. "S-she went out fighting?" Jaune nodded. "W-who's going to t-tell A-Achilla?"

"Achilla?" Jaune asked, then finally looked up the main hall, at the portrait that stood over the staircase.

The entire Nikos family stood there, smiling brightly. But, there was one unexpected twist.

There were two Pyrrhas.

 _ **And... BOOM goes the dynamite!**_

 _ **Pyrrha had a twin sister?! Who is Achilla Nikos? What will her response be to her twin's death?! Will anyone ever hunt me down and slap the sanity back into me?!**_

 _ **Help...**_

 _ **I only own my OCs! Please read,**_ _ **review**_ _ **, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!**_


	2. Imperfect Reflection (Jaune)

I walked out onto the back porch, and my eyes widened as I saw the figure training below.

Her battle-armor consisted of a bronze chest-plate with round bronze shoulder-plates, a red knee-length skirt covered in bronze armored plates, bronze wrist-guards, bronze armor on her calves, red heeled-boots on her feet, and a bronze helmet with long red plumes covering her head.

Her bronze shield was much like that of Pyrrha's, but she carried a bronze sword with a red and bronze hilt instead of a spear, but I saw components on it that hinted its ability to transform.

The girl was a student at Haven, but one of her teammates had been injured while training, preventing participation in the Vytal Tournament. The warrior had returned to her home to spend some time with her family.

As the girl sparred with several state-of-the-art practice droids and Grimm-holograms, I watched with Ren and Nora, our eyes wide.

Her fighting style was so much like Pyrrha's, her build identical to our fallen teammate.

We couldn't see any of her facial features, but the painting in the hallway had proved enough.

Pyrrha had a younger, twin sister: Achilla Nikos.

Finally, Achilla finished the battle, and she pulled off her helmet.

Two eyes like emeralds looked up at us, red hair in a high ponytail whipping in the air behind the warrior.

She looked just like Pyrrha, from her facial features to that small smile.

"Hello!" The girl waved, smiling as she placed her shield on her back and her sword in a sheath at her belt, resting her helmet under her arm. The girl walked up a bunch of steps that led to the yard, facing us, then slammed her fist on her chest over her heart and gave a quick bow. "I am Achilla Nikos. Welcome to Nikos Manor. How can I be of service?"

"Uh..." I stared as she looked up. "W-we're Pyrrha's teammates."

"Pyrrha?" The girl's face lit up. "Has my sister come to visit? She's okay, right?" We didn't know what to say. "Why am I even asking? She's Pyrrha!"

"Um-"

"Well, where is she?" Achilla set her helmet down on the railing, crossing her arms. "Let me guess: our parents are smothering her."

"Achilla, is it?" I asked. The girl nodded. "I-I'm sorry, but... Pyrrha's gone." Achilla frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Pyrrha died during the Battle of Beacon, fighting Cinder Fall. We couldn't have won without..." I stopped talking as Achilla's eyes widened, and she reached out to support herself on the railing as she gripped her heart, sinking to her knees and refusing to blink.

We gazed at her, this reaction only making me feel worse.

It was like seeing Pyrrha reacting to her own death.

Then...

"Is Cinder Fall dead?" We looked up as Achilla did, her green eyes hardening through light tears. "Did my sister's death actually mean something? Is Cinder Fall **_dead_**?" I hesitated, then shook my head. Achilla stood, looking livid. "Excuse me. I need to be alone for a while."

With that, Achilla grabbed her helmet and stormed off.

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

 _A dark figure stood on a rooftop, watching as men and women dressed in masks and hoods came and left a warehouse, her emerald-green eyes narrowing._

 _The figure leapt down from the roof and passed the hooded White Fang members with a stealth that should have been impossible with her color-scheme, slipping into the warehouse._

 _She passed a large room full of White Fang and crates, then came to a set of stairs leading up._

 _Guarding the staircase were a boy dressed in mostly grey and a girl with green hair and red eyes._

 _The figure crept through the shadows and came up behind the two as they argued, then reached out and simultaneously attacked several pressure-points, knocking them out._

 _The figure climbed the grated staircase, seeing her prize at the end of the platform._

 _ **/\**  
_

 _Cinder Fall stood in an abandoned warehouse, smirking as the White Fang unloaded several crates of Dust they'd managed to salvage from Vale._

 _That smirk became a gasp as she reacted too late to a presence behind her, and a bronze blade pierced her heart from behind._

 _Cinder fell to the floor as the sword was ripped up, and she looked into two emerald-like eyes._

 _"That was for my sister." A girl's voice hissed, a face entering the light. Cinder's eyes widened, then closed. An orange light surrounded the corpse, and the killer took a step back. "What?!"_

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

That night, Achilla returned just after dinner-time. And just before Lisa Lavender reported...

 _ **:** A reign of terror has ended. **:**_ The newscaster smiled. _**:** On this day, a mysterious hero has killed Cinder Fall, the leader of the attack on Vale. Fall's body was found in a warehouse just outside of Mistral's capital city, her associates knocked-out and restrained. Among the captured are Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black, and over two-hundred White Fang members. All of them have been proven to have participated in the a Battle of Beacon, and all of them are in custody. Personally, I would like to thank this mysterious vigilante. Whoever you are, you have rid Remnant of a terrible adversary. Thank you, goodnight, and Godspeed. **:**_

The broadcast ended, leaving us staring in shock as Achilla turned to walk out of the room.

"How?" I asked. The girl looked back, expression calm despite what we were accusing her of.

What we knew she did.

"Nothing could have stopped me." The Amazon announced. Then, she turned and departed.

/\/\/\/\

That night, the Nikos' allowed us to stay in their house.

Unable to sleep, I got up and wandered.

Every door on the second floor had a plaque and a name on it.

I paused when I came to a door.

 _Pyrrha_.

Hand shaking, I turned the knob and peered into the room.

The main colors were yellow and gold, hints of red and purple scattered throughout the large room.

The walls were a cheery yellow.

The bed was yellow with red and yellow comforters and pillows.

The furniture was yellow with gold handles and little red details.

A cabinet in the corner held trophies and medals.

On the walls were all of the weapons that Pyrrha must have used in her younger years.

I slowly walked over to a dresser, picking up a picture.

Pyrrha, alive and happy with her family. It must have been a few months before she attended Beacon. Before we met.

"She spoke of you, often." A voice spoke. I turned to see Achilla in a pair of modest green pajamas, standing in the doorway with crossed arms. "You were Pyrrha's best friend. A little more than that, if I had to guess."

"I didn't know." I looked down. "Until that night, I had no idea how she felt about me... I can't believe she's gone."

"But, she's not." Achilla walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. " _For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death._ " I looked up, stunned. How was this girl so much like Pyrrha, but so different? "Just because you can't see her doesn't mean that Pyrrha's gone. She's still here, watching over us and listening... She's probably been yelling at me for the last four hours for what I did, tonight."

"... If you hadn't, I would have."

"I know... But Pyrrha wouldn't have wanted that." Achilla shook her head. "She fell for an innocent, insecure, immature goofball of a Huntsman. Not a stone-cold, merciless, revenge-crazed monster... Stay just as you were while she was here, because if you change due to her death, your relationship with her meant nothing to you. She would want you to stay you, no matter what."

"How would you know?"

"Let's face it, Jaune... No one knew Pyrrha better than I did." Achilla gave a sad smile, sighing. "Now, get some sleep. Not just for yourself, but for your teammates... You're all they have, now."

 ** _Well... Achilla. Achilla, Achilla, Achilla... Already, she's proven herself much more vengeful than her older sister. She doesn't make empty threats._**

 ** _Maybe I should have her and Nora hunt Cardin down and break his legs._**

 ** _..._**

 ** _So, I need you guys' help._**

 ** _I need Achilla's semblance, and I will eventually need her teammates from Haven._**

 ** _Semblance:_**

 ** _1\. I give her Polarity, like Pyrrha._**

 ** _2\. I use a reader-submitted semblance, so long as it makes sense and isn't too OP. Leave ideas in the reviews._**

 ** _Teammates:_**

 ** _1\. I make them up myself._**

 ** _2\. I use some reader-submitted OCs. I need names, personalities, physical features, clothing, semblances, and weapons. Not too OP, and not too Mary-Sue or cliché. Leave ideas and reviews._**

 ** _..._**

 ** _I only own my OC. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


	3. The Boys (Achilla)

I woke up in the morning, took a shower, and dressed in my armor (except for my helmet).

I paused for a moment in front of the mirror, noticing a strange orange, fire-like glint in my eyes that wasn't there the night before.

My thoughts went back to the orange light that struck me, but I shook out of it and went back to the mirror.

I sighed sadly, looking down and closing my eyes.

"Pyrrha."

 ** _/\_**

I went down to breakfast, seeing Pyrrha's teammates and my parents.

Dad and Ren were cooking, the other three gazing at me warily.

"Hello, again." I waved, managing a small smile. Then, I noticed all of the packed bags. "You're leaving?"

"We simply came to deliver our condolences." Ren bowed his head. "We are needed elsewhere."

"Yeah." Jaune shook his head. "Cinder may be dead and Emerald and Mercury may be in jail, but the White Fang and Neopolitan are still out there. And I'm not so sure that Cinder was the head of everything."

"You think there's someone bigger behind all of this?" I asked, eyes narrowing. "That makes them responsible for what happened to Pyrrha... I may be able to help you."

"What?" Nora asked. "You want to help us?" My parents stood.

"Achilla, no." Mom begged. "We lost your sister. We cannot risk losing you." I looked over at them.

"You know I won't rest until Pyrrha is avenged. I'm going... I'll go and call the boys."

" _The boys_?" Jaune asked. I placed a hand on my hip.

"My teammates knew Pyrrha as well... They will help." I smirked. "This is a mission that Team IVRA can not miss out on."

"Wait, _Team Ivory_?" Nora asked. "How's that spelled?"

"IVRA. The first three letters are the _Ivor_ , and my _A_ is tagged on and pronounced as a louder _y_ -sound."

"Oh, okay... That's weird."

"Yeah. I guess my headmaster was just really, really out of ideas."

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

I called my teammates over to Nikos Manor.

The leader of Team IVRA was Ivory Mcaulich. He was a larger human boy with an athletic build, his features including black hair, light brown eyes, and a large scar from top right forehead down to chin going across his face. His armor was off-white, light-blue, grey, and gold **_(AN: a Chung from "Elsword" look to it, I'm not good with descriptions)_**. His weapons were _Ivory Tracers_ , dual revolvers that transformed into swords that could combine into a great-sword. His emblem was crossed pistols in front of a knight helmet, and the boy didn't like talking about his past. From what we could tell, he had lost a lot of people he cared about. He was almost knightly, very noble, calm, and collected. He was one of those people always meant to be a guardian, as he was always defending the weak from the strong and being the one you could go to for guidance or to simply get something off your chest. But, like me, he had that need for vengeance in his heart.

 ** _"Forgive your enemies but never forget their transgression."_**

But, he wasn't all knight. He could be rambunctious and flirty when he wanted to be: usually going for strong, independent women or cute Faunus girls. Ivory's semblance allowed him to absorb the negativity of those around him to enhance his aura. I supposed this came from him by taking peoples problems, carrying their burdens.

The second member of Team IVRA was Verdan Allen. This human boy was tall and had black hair, bluish-green eyes, and an average build. He wore a simple white t-shirt and tan cargo pants. Over it, he wore a tan trench coat with bits of metal plating on the shoulders, back, and arms. His emblem was an upside-down magnet, which I often taunted him for, saying it looked like a frowns-face. His weapon was coilgun rifle that shot either steel bullets or Dust-crystals he had lathed to shape and magnetize. The Dust-crystals were either single type or one type inside a jacket of another type, giving mixed effects. There was also extra space above the barrel that acted as a sheath for his sword, the hilt folding out into the rifle's stock. When he pulled the sword out, the barrel retracted, looking like a long-barreled pistol to use one-handed. Verdan was fairly easy-going, but if something bothered him, he wouldn't hold back in the slightest, leading to him seeming blunt at times. He often used sarcasm, but rarely in a mean spirit. He was introverted, but tried to counter that, becoming forcibly social at times. He rarely backed down in an argument, becoming prideful and arrogant without realizing it at times. He was observant, but acted less observant and generally skilled than he was, causing people to underestimate him. I underestimated him when we first became partners, but I learned from that mistake quickly. His semblance was magnetization: the ability to create, destroy, and manipulate magnetic fields in anything. The bigger the field and the less of a connection he had to the item or area, the harder it was for him.

The final member of Team IVRA was Robin Avis, a robin Faunus. He had feathery brown/grey hair and hazel eyes, and he was light in build and small in stature for his age. He wore a dark-grey jacket (with slits in the back for his huge, brown/grey robin-wings), a blood-red t-shirt, dark-grey jeans, dark-grey combat-boots, and black fingerless-gloves. His weapon was a black and red bow with Dust-infused arrows kept in a sheath at his belt, and he kept a large dark-grey dagger in a sheath on his left-leg. His emblem was a little black bird over a blood-red, crescent moon. Robin was very timid and skittish in social situations, but he was quick-witted and fast on the battlefield, and his aim always proved true. He was also know for getting angry whenever he saw someone getting picked on, immediately rushing to even a complete stranger's aid. He got beat up a lot, which meant that the rest of us on Team IVRA got to beat up a lot of people. I saw him as a cute little brother, and his semblance allowed him to perform a Nevermore-like attack with his wings when he was angry enough, sending rock-hard and sharp feathers flying at his enemies.

I sat on the porch-steps, waiting for my teammates to arrive. As I sat there, I had time to think.

Pyrrha was dead.

I killed her murderer.

That strange orange light...

I shook out of it, raishing a hand to the side of my head.

It was nothing.

It had to be nothing.

"Achilla?" A voice asked. I looked back to see Nora. "Um... I wanted to ask you something."

"Of course." I gestured for the orange-haired girl to sit down next to me. "What is on your mind?"

"How?" Nora asked, sitting down. "How did you beat Cinder?"

"... Do you know how most twins are born with similar semblances?"

"Yeah?"

"Well... Pyrrha and I were different. She had her polarity, and I have a little." I raised my hand and focused, wincing slightly as I made a metal screw raise into the air. It fell to the ground as I let my mental-focus slacken. That hurt... "But my true semblance is something far different from Pyrrha's... I have the ability to remain undetectable to anyone not looking directly at me."

"So, you're like a ninja?"

"I cannot be heard or sensed unless I am seen. If you call that being like a ninja, then I suppose so."

"Cool! ... Achilla?"

"Yes?"

"... Pyrrha didn't have a lot of friends before Beacon, did she?"

"No." I shook my head, sighing. "She didn't... Pyrrha was blessed with incredible talents and opportunities. She was constantly surrounded by love and praise, but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. Everyone assumed she was too good for them, that she was on a level that they simply couldn't attain. It became impossible for her to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people. That's what she liked about you. She wrote to me often, describing her friends on Team JNPR and Team RWBY, along with Team CFVY and our old friends from Team SSSN... You treated Pyrrha like anyone else. And thanks to you, she made friendships that lasted a lifetime."

"Achilla?"

"Yes?"

"... Why hasn't anyone on Remnant heard of you?"

"Well... As my semblance proves, I'm very good at going unnoticed. I was second in our class at Sanctum, second for four years at the Mistral Tournament... But Pyrrha was the one everyone saw. I was the shadow, and honestly, I was okay with that."

"Achilla!" A tiny shape crashed into me and hugged me tightly. "I'm so sorry! I'm here for you!"

"Hey, Robin." I sighed, smiling as he pulled away. Robin cracked his knuckles and glared, trying to be intimidating but in reality looking like nothing more than an angry toddler.

"We're going to make whoever hurt Pyrrha pay!"

"That's right, _Robby_." I reached up and tussled his hair. Nora gaped, then smiled brightly.

"He's so cute!" She squealed. Robin hid behind me, surprised by the outburst. "I'm Nora Valkyrie of Team JNPR! What's your name?!"

"R-Robin Avis."

"Robin hurt his wing, so we couldn't participate at the Vytal Festival Tournament." I explained. "Now, that injured wing is what possibly saved all of our lives."

"Indeed." A voice agreed. We looked up to see a familiar knight in shining white-armor.

"Ivory Mcaulich." I smiled, standing and walking over to my team leader with crossed arms. "How was your break, _Fearless Leader_?"

"Not nearly as exciting as yours." My friend held up a newspaper clipping. It was from that morning, describing the murder of Cinder Fall and the capture of all her associates. "You left this out of your phone call, yes?"

"How did you know it was me?" I placed a hand on my hip. Ivory raised an eyebrow and gave a small smirk.

"Don't I always?"

"You rang?" A voice asked. We turned to see the one and only Verdan Allan. "Oh, Achilla!" My partner dashed over and crushed me in a hug. "I'm so, so sorry about Pyrrha! Sit, sit!" My partner made me sit down on the steps. "Now, we need to get you some ice-cream, and watch some comedies, and-"

"Verdan! I'm coping!" I shouted, then sighed and looked down. "I'm coping." Ivory rolled his eyes and handed Verdan the newspaper.

"Oh..." Verdan cringed. "I see... Coping..."

 ** _THEY'VE ARRIVED! Okay, so I have some people to thank for these OCs!_**

 ** _Ivory Mcaulich was designed by zachshadrack. Thanks!_**

 ** _Verdan Allan was designed by Matt Cyr. Thanks!_**

 ** _I had to improvise when it came to Robin. No one else entered an OC._**

 ** _I only own Achilla! Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


	4. Journey's Start (Ren)

We readied to leave Nikos Manor. The Nikos' had insisted upon giving us supplies and lien for our journey, despite our attempts to dissuade them. They called it real Nikos Hospitality (the generous kind, not the beat-us-senseless kind). We were mere minutes from departing. Then...

"Achilla." Mrs. Nikos called her daughter back one last time. Achilla walked over, and Mrs. Nikos bit her lower lip as Mr. Nikos rested a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure that you need to do this?"

"Yes." Achilla replied. "Mom, this isn't just about revenge. This could be about the fate of the world."

"I know." Mrs. Nikos held something out for Achilla to take. It was Pyrrha's circlet, the one we brought to her family. "Your sister would want you to have it. It will give you her strength."

Achilla reached her hands out to take it, then paused. To our surprise, she turned to Nora, Jaune, and I. Her bright green eyes asked all three of us a question: _is this okay?_.

Her Pyrrha-like side showed through once more with this little act of consideration and concern. She wouldn't accept the circlet without our approval, knowing our closeness to Pyrrha.

Nora and I immediately nodded, while Jaune hesitated for a moment. Then, he nodded as well.

Achilla smiled slightly, nodding her head once in thanks, then turned back to her mother and took the circlet, placing it on her head as Pyrrha did.

"Be safe." Mr. Nikos ordered. "If you need us for any reason, you know how to contact us." Achilla nodded, smiling, then slammed her fist over her heart and gave a quick bow, her parents doing the same.

Was this a family tradition, when greeting strangers and saying _goodbye_ to loved ones? Why hadn't we ever seen Pyrrha do it?

 ** _/\_**

"Well, guys..." Jaune began as we started walking down the path. "We need to get to Patch, ASAP."

" _Patch_?" Ivory asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. I nodded, looking at our four new companions.

"There are some people we need to gather if we want any hope of going up against the remaining White Fang members, Neopolitan, and Cinder Fall's superior. We need Team RWBY."

"And Teams SSSN and CFVY, if we run into them." Nora added. "They were pretty good at fighting baddies."

"Team SSSN? They're friends of ours! Last I heard from Neptune, Team SSSN was looking for someone." Verdan stated, crossing his arms and shrugging. "Sun was kinda freaking out in the background."

"Blake." Jaune realized. When Team IVRA looked confused... "They're looking for Blake Belladonna, a member of Team RWBY who went missing after the Battle of Beacon."

"Well, why don't we just establish communication between ourselves and Team SSSN?" Ivory asked. "When they find this Blake Belladonna girl, we can meet up."

"Right." Jaune nodded. "Ruby and Yang are in Patch, so once we find them and get them back into the fight, it's only a matter of going after Weiss."

"Weiss?" Robin asked timidly, eyes wide. "You don't mean Weiss Schnee, right?!" Jaune sighed, shaking his head.

"She's not like how people say. Weiss is a good person, and some of her best friends are Faunus... We can't do this without her help."

"So..." Achilla crossed her arms, frowning. "We better contact Team SSSN, then find a boat to Patch. Then, it's only a matter of getting to Atlas and finding Weiss, then seeking leads on our enemies."

"Right." Jaune nodded stiffly at Pyrrha's twin. "Let's go."

 ** _/\_**

After contacting Team SSSN, we walked along a path to the docks. There was a ferry that could take us to Vale, and from Vale we could take a ferry to Patch. Achilla offered to pay for tickets.

"... Why wait for our approval?" I asked, looking at Achilla as we walked. She, Nora and I were at the back of the group while Achilla's teammates spoke with Jaune about the events in Vale.

"Well..." Achilla raised her hand to the side of the circlet. "I was almost hoping that you'd tell me not to take it, actually." Nora and I exchanged glances, frowning, then looked back at Pyrrha's twin.

"Why?" I asked. Achilla bowed her head.

"It just proved what I've always feared... Everyone will always think that I'm second-place to Pyrrha. They thought so when she was a-alive, and now they think that I won't survive without her strength." Achilla looked up at the sky. "Maybe they're right... I guess I always will be the shadow."

"Achilla, nobody thinks that." I frowned. How could Pyrrha have allowed her younger sister to think so low of herself? What all was Pyrrha hiding from us? Achilla crossed her arms over her chest.

"My parents do. My teammates often do, even if they refuse to admit it... And so does your leader." The girl stated, looking up at her teammates and Jaune. Nora slowly placed a hand on Achilla's shoulder, looking at me before smiling brightly at our fallen teammate's twin.

"We don't." She assured. Achilla's eyes widened, and she looked over at the both of us as we smiled encouragingly and nodded. I knew she was a stranger. An arrogant and violent stranger. But she was also Pyrrha's sister, an excellent fighter, and someone who always felt looked-down-upon even though she deserved better. Achilla slowly smiled.

"You would be the first..." She bowed her head in thanks. "Thank you... I see why you two were such good and close friends of Pyrrha's." I raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly did Pyrrha tell you about us?"

"Well..." Achilla giggled. "Let's just say that she admired the close friendship that you you have with each other." Nora tensed up, eyes wide. "She especially found that little _boop_ -thing that Nora does adorable." Nora turned red, and my eyebrow raised further at her reactions. What was going on? "But in all seriousness, you two and Jaune were pretty much her closest friends and confidants (outside of myself). You two meant a lot to Pyrrha."

"Why did you two go to different combat-schools?" Nora blurted out. Achilla tensed up, then sighed.

"Pyrrha was running from her fame... I had no reason to run away."

 ** _Well, they're on their way! What will Team RWBY's reaction to Achilla be? When will Jaune finally relax in Achilla's twin's presence? When will Achilla discover what the mysterious orange light was?_**

 ** _I only own Achilla and Robin (and Pyrrha's parents, if they can be counted as OCs)! Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


	5. The Burdens (Achilla)

We made our way toward the docks, finally arriving in the small town of Pontus. At the ferry ticket-station, I decided to do the talking. I wasn't often noticed, but when I was, things either went really well or really badly.

"Hello!" I walked over, waving and giving a bright smile. "I would like to purchase seven tickets for the next ship sailing to Patch." The woman behind the counter sighed and looked up, her eyes slowly widening as she saw me.

"Miss Nikos!" She stared at the circlet in my hair, obviously mistaking me for my sister. "Yes, of course! Seven tickets to Patch... There is a boat leaving tomorrow morning, the cost of the tickets being two-hundred and eighty lien: total. Would you like me to recommend a hotel for you and your companions to stay the night?" I nodded, smiling.

"Yes, that would be wonderful."

"R-right! The _Shell Cottage Inn_ has the highest ratings in the area." The woman stated. I handed her the lien, and she handed me the tickets, then held up her scroll. "M-may I-?" Gritting my teeth, I nodded and smiled, the woman taking her photo. "Thank you!"

"Thank you." I bowed my head, the turned to the others. "Well, it appears that we'll have to stay the night, here. Let's go find this _Shell Cottage Inn_." Ivory placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes..." I shook out of it. "It's not like I'm not used to it, by now. Let's go." I walked past the others, leading the way. I looked up and around at the forest around the town as we walked, seeing the colors of fall. Pyrrha loved fall, loved the colors. It was her favorite season, and... Why did everything remind me of her?

I clenched my fists, sighing and shaking my head as I looked around for the _Shell Cottage Inn_. I had visited this town before, when I was young and my family was whole. Yet another reminder of my older sister.

Pyrrha...

 ** _/\_**

 _Six Years Previous_

 _I yelped and fell back in the snow, looking up and shaking my head, raising a hand to my left temple with a small noise of pain, shivering in the cold._

 _"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha ran over and kneeled next to me, dropping her wooden practice-blade. "Are you alright, Achilla?" I looked up and nodded._

 _"Yeah... Y-you're getting really good, Pyrrha."_

 _"You are, too." Pyrrha smiled, extending a hand and pulling me to my feet. "Let's try that, again! You'll get the hang of it!" I sighed, pulling away and crossing my arms._

 _"Pyrrha, it doesn't matter." I looked down, closing my eyes. "Even if I became the best fighter on Remnant, no one would care. It's like I'm invisible..." A hand was placed on my shoulder._

 _"Not to me." Pyrrha announced. I looked back, and my twin smiled brightly. "Never to me. Now, let's get back to training! If you're going to be the best fighter in the world, I want to make sure that I'm there to see it!"_

 ** _/\_**

I sped up my trek slightly, hoping to hide any emotions that I was feeling from the others. I had to remain strong, for them. I just had to.

If Team IVR(A), or even Ren and Nora, saw me break down, that would be one more thing in their lives that made this fight seem hopeless. Jaune would probably hate me even more, seeing as how I looked so much like my sister. My strong, caring, protective sister... Pyrrha was gone, and someone had to fill in her shoes and take care of everyone.

I may have just been the shadow of my sister, but I would have to do. And it was Pyrrha's job to hide her emotions, put up a smile, and make everyone feel better even when she felt terrible. I never understood just how hard that was until she was gone and I had to step up. Oh, Pyrrha...

"Hey, Achilla!" Verdan caught up with me, forcing a smile. "I can't help but notice that you've been asocial and moody! And that's less of a you-thing and more of an Ivory or a me-thing!" I stopped in my tracks, forcing a smile as well.

" _Asocial_? _Moody_? I haven't the faintest idea as to what you are talking about." I forced myself to relax. "I'm perfectly fine, really."

As we spoke, everyone else stopped to watch us, Robin and Ivory looking uneasy as my partner and I spoke.

"Perfectly fine?" Verdan asked. Oh no, here comes the brutal honestly... "Achilla, someone who's _perfectly fine_ doesn't retreat from her friends or go out and kill someone."

"I'm fine." I assured, turning away again and keeping my smile up. "You worry too much, _Frowny-Face_." Making fun of his emblem was a me-thing. Maybe this would throw him off.

"Achilla-"

"Verdan, you hate talking to people." My smile became sickeningly sweet as I clenched my fists. "I don't feel like talking to people. Let's just both agree to shut up."

"Alright!" Verdan grinned, only for Ivory to elbow him in the ribs. "Why..?" Ivory placed a hand on my shoulder, frowning as I looked back.

"Achilla, if you need to talk-"

Okay. That was it. I couldn't keep up the act, anymore. I couldn't take everyone wondering if I was okay. I couldn't take all of these sickening reminders of my older sister. I couldn't pretend that I was fine, that I didn't care. I couldn't pretend that I didn't want Pyrrha back.

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK!" I spun around, glaring as I swiped my arms, accidentally summoning what little polarity I had to control Ivory's heavy armor and send home skidding back to the others, crashing into them and sending them tumbling to the ground in a heap. My eyes slowly widened as I lowered my arms, raising a hand to my mouth for a lack of words. As they climbed to their feet, I finally managed... "Ivory, everyone, I... I'm sorry."

Team JN(P)R's eyes widened as they turned and looked at me. Jaune clenched his fists, looking down and briefly closing his eyes, then he looked up at me with a glare.

"Whatever." He scowled. "Apologies don't change anything. If they make you feel better, you're just setting yourself up to get hurt again... Pyrrha taught me that." I felt tears welling up and turned away, running off as fast as I could and not looking back.

I couldn't let them see me break.

 ** _/\_**

 _Seven Months Previous_

 _"Are you sure that you don't want to come to Beacon, with me?" Pyrrha asked as we stood at the airship docks, waiting. I smiled and nodded._

 _"Yes. Haven seems like a good school. I think I'll do well, there." I replied. Pyrrha looked at me, frowning._

 _"... Achilla, what's this really about?"_

 _"Nothing, Pyrrha."_

 _"Don't try that with me. I always know when something's wrong." Pyrrha placed her hands on my shoulders. "What's going on?"_

 _"... I have some things that I need to prove to myself." I admitted. "I need a little space, you know?" Pyrrha nodded, giving a knowing smile._

 _"Of course." The airship landed, and Pyrrha pulled me into a hug. I hugged back, and Pyrrha sighed as she pulled away. "Be safe."_

 _"You, too."_

 _Pyrrha turned and started to board the airship amongst a crowd of other students, Mother and Father walking up behind me and watching her go. As people started to recognize her, my older sister looked back with uncertainty, and I gave a reassuring smile._

 _I crossed my arm over my chest and slammed my fist over my heart, and Pyrrha nodded her head and gave a small smile, mimicking the action._

 _My older twin sister boarded the airship, and I watched after it even when it was long gone from my sight._

 ** _/\_**

I eventually found myself in a forest clearing, far from the town, and I checked to make sure that I was alone before falling to my knees and hugging myself, finally allowing myself to start sobbing uncontrollably.

"PYRRHA!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, trying to vent all of the pent-up emotions that the last few days, and honestly the last seventeen years, had forced me to build up.

In my rage and grief, I failed to notice what was going on around me. The wind causing leaves to swirl around me, the orange fire glowing around eyes clenched shut in an attempt to stop the tears from falling...

Why?!

Why had Pyrrha died?!

What was the point?!

What was she trying to achieve?!

What was she thinking, going off by herself?!

What the Hell was going through her head?!

At that thought, a whole other wave of emotion crashed down on me, and I remembered the last conversation I ever had with my sister...

 ** _/\_**

 _A Little Over a Week Previous_

 _I smiled as I answered the call, and a face appeared on the screen. I waved, briefly closing my eyes._

 _"Hey, Pyrrha!"_

 _ **:Hello, Achilla.:** Pyrrha replied. I opened my eyes, frowning. Something seemed off about my sister._

 _"Pyrrha?"_

 _ **:What?:**_

 _"Are you okay?"_

 _ **:O-of course! Why wouldn't I be?:**_

 _"You sound... Strange."_

 _ **:I... Achilla, do you believe in destiny?:**_

 _" Destiny?" My eyes narrowed. "Pyrrha, what's going on?" Pyrrha bowed her head and sighed. "What do you mean, **destiny**?"_

 _ **:... I don't consider destiny to be a predetermined fate you don't escape, but a final goal: something that you work towards for your entire life. And I always thought that my destiny was to become a Huntress, but now...:** Pyrrha looked up, tears in her eyes. **:Achilla, I have a choice to make. If I say no, many people could get hurt. But if I say yes... Things will never be the same. And I'm scared.:**_

 _"Pyrrha?!" My eyes were wide. "What's going on?! Where are you?! What are you talking about?"_

 ** _:I've been chosen for something, something important.:_** _Pyrrha replied. **:And everywhere I look, it seems that the choice of yes or no was never really mine.:**_

 _"Pyrrha, what have you been chosen for?" I demanded. "Whatever it is, if it's really this bad, don't you DARE!" My sister gave a weak laugh and a small smile, tears racing down her face._

 _ **:I'll call you as soon as I can.:** She promised. **:I have to head out to the arena, now... Thank you, Achilla.:**_

 _"Pyrrha, what are you-?!"_

 _ **:I love you... I'm sorry.:**_

 _"PYRRHA!"_

 _My sister hung up, leaving me sitting in my bedroom, alone and confused. Little did I know, that night would be the night of the Battle of Beacon._

 ** _/\_**

 _Pyrrha never called, and I assumed that it was because the CCT in Vale was down. It couldn't have anything to do with her choice, could it?_

 _I waited a week, thinking that some form of communication would arrive. Or maybe Pyrrha herself, due to all the people fleeing from Vale and returning to their homes or schools._

 _But Pyrrha didn't come home. Instead, three strangers appeared on the doorstep and delivered news I never thought I would receive._

 _"Pyrrha's gone."_

 ** _/\_**

I continued to sob, completely oblivious to my surroundings as I tried to release all of my pent up emotion. My anger, my sorrow, my fear.

I couldn't do this.

I couldn't be their Pyrrha.

All I could ever be was the shadow. The copy Pyrrha left behind that could never amount to her greatness.

Pyrrha was the _Invincible Girl_.

I was the _Invisible Girl_.

Funny how swapping two letters for one could have such a devastating impact. On the world, on my friends, on my family, on me.

Why, Pyrrha? Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me? What was the point of all of this?

Slowly, I frowned and began doing the calculations, tears still racing down my face as I tried to put the pieces together and understand.

Pyrrha had a devastating choice.

Cinder Fall killed Pyrrha.

I killed Cinder Fall.

The orange light, the rush of energy and power...

 ** _:I've been chosen for something, something important.:_**

My heart stopped beating.

 ** _:Achilla, I have a choice to make. If I say no, many people could get hurt. But if I say yes... Things will never be the same. And I'm scared.:_**

I slowly opened my eyes, and they widened in alarm as I saw the leaves swirling around me. I stared for a long moment, then raised a hand and clenched my fist.

The leaves stopped in mid-air and turned blue as they froze. I stood and walked around the circle and touched a few to ensure that this was real. The leaves were as sharp as knives and hard as ice, and I stared.

"Pyrrha... This was your choice?" I asked quietly, then gripped the sides of my head. "This can't be real! This is insane!" The ground shook beneath my feet, storm-clouds forming in the sky and lightning flashing. The trees caught fire, the frozen leaves swirling around me, again. I panicked. "Stop! Please!" The world around me seemed to calm down, and I looked around with wide eyes, stunned as the environment seemed to return to normal. Like it understood my words and obeyed... I wasn't really someone who swore, but in that moment- "Shit. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit..."

I fell back onto my knees and hugged myself, eyes wide as I stared at the ground, mumbling that same curse word from lack of a better idea. What was this? What was I?

My heart roared in my ears as the troubling thoughts swirled, my breathing out of control as the stress built up. I kneeled there, hyperventilating and unable to blink.

Finally, everything went black.

 ** _/\_**

 _I stood in a dark oblivion, and I looked around, frowning as I clenched my fists and took a few steps, feeling solid ground beneath my feet._

 _"Hello?" A beam of light shone down a few yards away, and my eyes widened in surprise. "Pyrrha?!"_

 _I ran over, only to be stopped by some invisible barrier and thrown back. I stood, shaking out of a daze, then walked over, reaching out until my hand touched something solid._

 _I couldn't enter the light. I was trapped in the darkness, the shadows. I looked up as Pyrrha did, and she gave a small, sad smile._

 _"Achilla." Pyrrha whispered, sounding like she was far away, the words echoing through the oblivion. "I'm sorry." Pyrrha slowly dissolved into burning embers before my eyes, and I reached out, eyes wide._

 _"PYRRHA!" I screamed. The embers started swirling, and they and the spotlight started to move toward me. I backed away, clenching my fists, my hair swishing with some of it getting caught in the beam of light._

 _The hair instantly burned away and changed into embers, and I gasped before turning and running, the light chasing me through the darkness and expanding, destroying the oblivion around me and eventually surrounding me._

 _I was in a small pocket of darkness, the walls of light closing in, and I finally screamed in pain as I was bathed in the light, everything going white as I was reduced to embers._

 ** _/\/\/\/\_**

I sat up with a gasp, hyperventilating as I reached up and gripped my chest, trying to calm myself down. I took deep breaths, then opened my eyes and looked around to see darkness.

I was in a room, a hotel room, and it was either very late at night or very early in the morning. I had been stripped of my armor, shoes, and Pyrrha's circlet, simply wearing my red dress. I slowly remembered what had happened.

Pyrrha's last words to me.

The world falling apart with the release of my buildup of stress.

Passing out.

The nightmare.

What was going on? What was this strange power over the world? What was I? What did that nightmare mean? What was I supposed to do, now?

Wait, what was I thinking? Power over nature? That couldn't have been real. I must have passed out in the forest and had two strange dreams, not just the one. There was absolutely no way that that was real...

Right?

"Pyrrha." I bowed my head, closing my eyes and sighing. "You left too soon, older sister. I would give anything for your guidance."

"Achilla?" A voice asked. I looked over to see Jaune standing in the doorway, frowning. "We need to talk."

 ** _Well, Achilla finally broke down and "discovered" her Fall Maiden Power, but she has absolutely no idea as to what it is or how to properly control it. That should end well... NOT!_**

 ** _What does Jaune want to talk about?_** ** _What happens if/when Achilla snaps in front of her friends?_** ** _What happens if/when she accidentally unleashes her uncontrollable power in full force?_** ** _When will Jaune finally stop being cold towards Achilla and start to get to know her?_**

 ** _I only own my OC. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks!_**


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